On Wednesday the 13th of April, Sydney Uni Sport & Fitness hosted the 2015 Sports Awards within the Great Hall.
The evening celebrated the outstanding achievements of athletes last year and recognised new scholarship holders in 2015, as well as acknowledging 125 years since the inception of the Sports Union.
MC Adam Spencer smoothly guided guests, athletes, staff and esteemed members and alumnus of the University through the ceremony which started with a warm welcome from SUSF President Bruce Ross.
Ross spoke of the longstanding tradition the University holds in producing remarkable individuals whom also successfully negotiate the challenges of juggling elite sport and tertiary studies. A nod was also given to our talented athletes on the road to the 2016 Rio Olympics.
While 2015 accomplishments deserved more than just one night of toasting, the tone of the evening was set to the success of women making grand finals in women’s water polo, netball, women’s hockey, women’s volleyball, women’s cricket, women’s rugby, women’s AFL and women’s soccer. Female athletes won every major open title on offer in athletics, while the netball, hockey, cricket, rugby and soccer clubs all took out their respective premierships. Brydens Sydney Uni Flames also finished an impressive third.
If this wasn’t enough, men’s rugby won our 12th straight rugby club championship and 4 premierships, our NEAFL firsts finished 3rd in a very tough competition, beating every side at least once, and had Tom Young win the NEAFL player of the year. Our male athletes also won every major open title on offer in athletics, seven Sydney Uni athletes competed in Beijing at the World Championships of athletics and the Sydney Uni men’s 4 x 100 metre relay team equalled the fastest time ever run by an Australian club. The Men’s water polo team was runner up in the national league and our male rowers won the Australian Boat Race.
Demonstrating the all-round strength of the Universities sporting clubs, SUSF won the Australian University Summer Games, Australian University Winter Games and won the Overall Australian University Championship for 2015.
Also providing great commentary on the night was Greg O’Mahoney who mediated a panel of athlete interviews during the evening. He spoke with two confirmed Olympic rowers, Cameron Girdlestone and Sally Kehoe, as well as Sydney Uni Football Club’s latest recruit, Georgia Yeoman-Dale.
Among a flurry of successes, awards were handed to:
Pat Sharp Award for Female Club Administrator of the Year: Anne Simmons (Sydney University Hockey Club)
The Rosenblum Family Award for Male Club Administrator of the Year: Rowan Johnston (Sydney University Hockey Club)
The Professional Administrator of the Year: Karen Dalton (Brydens Sydney Uni Flames)
The Ann Mitchell Australian University Games Award: Men’s Soccer
Club of the Year: Sydney University Women’s Rugby Club
Premier Club of the Year: Sydney University Athletic Club
Coach of the Year: Phillip Brown (Sydney University Women’s Rugby Club).
Premier Coach of the Year: Heather Garriock (Sydney University Soccer Football Club) & Mark Prater (Sydney Uni Boat Club).
Sportswoman of the Year: Michelle Jenneke (Sydney University Athletic Club)
Sportsman of the Year: Nick Hough (Sydney University Athletic Club)
We congratulate everyone on a highly successful year, and hope 2016 will bring just as many highlights!
PHOTOS AVAILABLE HERE: Sports Awards 2016 – David Stanton
